Flight of Dread and Delight
by trouveille
Summary: He doesn't know when it began, but one day he noticed the shine in his wings has worn off. His wings, once royal blue under the sunlight, were now completely black. They have become weak and thin, shabby and dull. They have all but shed, leaving bare and ugly patches.


**A/N:** I apologize in advance for any mistakes and errors in the story.  
 **Warning:** AU  
 **Disclaimer:** I most definitely do not own Detective Conan.  
 **Summary:** He doesn't know when it began, but one day he noticed the shine in his wings has worn off.

* * *

Shinichi peeks in. The doctor is speaking gently to the child, who is sniffling and squirming in her seat.

"Trust nee-chan, okay? I'll be very careful. Hold them out for me."

The girl doesn't look entirely convinced, but she nods tearfully and stretches her small wings out.

"That's good, Ayumi-chan!" says the doctor. She hums as she measures the span of the child's wing, then prods gently at her back.

"She's been complaining about the pain for a couple days now," expresses her mother worriedly.

"Nothing unusual," the doctor assures, "The pain's pretty normal, since her wings are only starting to grow. Look." She gestures for the mother to come over. "This is what's causing the discomfort. Broken feathers right here, where the wings are molting. She's shedding some old feathers to make way for a new growth. I'll clear them away, and they should be as good as new. You're doing great, Ayumi-chan. Now take a deep breath, and make them as big as you can."

"Okay," says the girl, now more confident after seeing his mother's relieved smile. "Will it hurt, nee-chan?"

"Just a small itch," the doctor replies cheerfully, not forgetting a wide grin, "Now look at that!" She holds out a bent feather to the little girl. "What color is this?"

"Pink! It's pink!"

The doctor laughs, a melodious, soothing sound. "Whose feathers do they look like?"

"Kaa-chan!" The short-haired girl points excitedly at her mother's wings, strawberry pink neatly folded behind her back. "They look like yours, kaa-chan!"

The mother beams, clearly delighted. She stretches hers out. They're a lovely pale pink at the arc, growing warmer in color to the tips of the feathers. "That's right, Ayumi! We match!"

Shinichi tears his eyes away, ribcage tight.

 _Match_.

He looks back hesitantly at his own wings, resting weakly against his back. They're shabby and dull. Shinichi remembers when they were a soft blue, taking after his dad, then blooming deeper in azure as he grew older. When he had met Ran, swathes of peach had started to appear, mimicking his girlfriend's bright, coral pink wings.

Now, the vivid blue have all but shed, leaving ugly and bare patches. Shinichi remembers when he used to hate his wings because they were not red, like his favorite color. Now, he thinks, blue's awesome. Way, way better than what he now has.

He starts at the sight of a lone feather on the floor. Embarrassed, Shinichi hastily picks it up and shoves it into his pocket, ignoring the feeling of the brittle shaft snapping.

He'd put this visit off for too long, disliking the idea of anyone observing the failure of his wings, splashing so plainly on the canvas on his back. He doesn't even know what is wrong with his wings. Usually, feathers shed rapidly following the failure of a romantic relationship but as far as he's concerned, there is absolutely nothing wrong in his relationship with Ran.

He doesn't know when it began, but one day he noticed the shine in his wings has worn off. On a sunny day, during Ran and his trip to Tropical Land for their anniversary, he saw his wings, reflected on the many mirrors on the merry-go-round. It has turned _black_. His wings, once royal blue under the sunlight, were now completely black. His wings no longer _match_ anyone's. Not his dad's, and more importantly not Ran's.

They eventually became weak and thin. His feathers would shed regularly, leaving trails wherever he went.

He began to make less and less trips outside his neighborhood, retreating in his apartment for weeks. Ran had given up convincing him to leave the apartment, convining him that it's okay. Even though it's clearly not.

He was too embarrassed to let his parents know of his condition that he didn't even think of consultling it with them, despite the possibility of them knowing the reason behind this change in his wings.

Finally, Heiji, in all his concern, decided to be the good roommate and best friend he is and had threatened to deliver Shinichi to the clinic himself if he didn't go.

He forces himself to look into the room again. The doctor is chatting animatedly to her little patient, arms waving about. She scoops up a handful and smoothens them out feather by feather, causing the boy to squeal with glee. It makes Shinichi feel slightly better, the urge to run dampening.

He returns to the waiting room.

"Kudo-san?"

"Ah—I'm here."

"Doctor Toyama will see you next." His wings _tighten_ with tension, but the nurse isn't fazed. She smiles kindly at him, and he relaxes minutely. "If you would follow me."

He is led back to the room he spied on earlier, where he catches the doctor leading a patient out, one saffron wing angled awkwardly off his back. Shinichi winces in sympathy.

"No crazy tricks. Or dives. Or flying during this period, for the matter." A sound of protest, but the doctor shakes his head. "As much as I like you Genta-kun, it'd be good not to see you every week. Don't make me get you a babysitter. I can make it happen."

"Alright, alright." The patient laughs sheepishly. "I get it. I'll stay on the ground."

"Promise?"

"Promise, Kazuha-neechan."

The doctor grins, ruffling his patient's hair fondly. "Get home safe, Genta-kun."

Shinichi blinks, slightly taken aback by the candid exchange going on in front of him. The doctor turns to him.

"Kudo-san?" Shinichi lifts his hand up in a half wave, and the doctor grins. "Come on in."

Shinichi settles himself on the exam table, shifting nervously. "Shinichi is fine," he clears his throat. He has a moment where he considers fleeing the room, but Kazuha's looking at him encouragingly, open and non-judgmental, and Shinichi reluctantly spreads open his wings. If Kazuha's taken aback she doesn't show it. Her only reaction was an eyebrow raised, emerald eyes round. Shinichi supposes she's seen it all.

"Shinichi-san, do you mind if I…?"

Shinichi shakes his head, giving Kazuha the go ahead, and Kazuha reaches forward to run her hands across his dull grey wings. She presses down lightly on the bare patches, making Shinichi feel vulnerable and exposed.

"Loss of muscle mass.." She continues to measure the span of Shinichi's wings. "Twenty four inches.. Do you remember how wide they were previously?"

"Twenty nine, nearing thirty," Shinichi manages to answer unsteadily.

Kazuha nods, and continues her thorough examination, ending at his back, where his wings meld into flesh. "How long has it been since you flew?"

About the same time since he realized his wings were not the same color as it used to be. He briefly ponders about telling her the change in color too, but decided not to further embarrass himself. "About eight months."

Kazuha frowns and sets aside her tools. "You'll have to forgive me for not being delicate, Shinichi-san, and I know it will be difficult, but I'm going to have to ask you to try as hard as you can to use your wings. Every. _Single_. Day. A flap or two is better than nothing."

Shinichi swallows around the lump in his throat. "I've.. I've tried. They can't even lift me anymore."

Kazuha flashes yet another wider grin, "That's exactly what I'm here for. I'm going to be prescribing you some calcium pills to help you with your decreased bone density. But the best way for them to heal would be for you to use them. No worries, Shinichi-san! I'll walk you through this process."

Shinichi can't help but feel slightly relieved at her words, and her strangely _always_ warm expression. "Will my feathers grow back?" Shinichi asks, terrified of the answer.

"They will," Kazuha asserts, and it makes him strangely hopeful. "You just have to believe yourself capable of it."

Shinichi definitely does not miss the glint in her eyes.

* * *

 **P.S.** I decided to write this one after seeing shrio-nii's artwork! Shrio-nii draws amazing stuffs, among which are some wings!AU Shinichi and Kaito, which I use as the basis of this story.


End file.
